He warned them off.

She had been forced into almost slavery to his attentions.

She remembered the young bookkeeper at the laundry--not a workingman, but a soft-handed, soft-voiced gentleman--whom Charley had beaten up at the corner because he had been bold enough to come to take her to the theater.

And she had been helpless.

For his own sake she had never dared accept another invitation to go out with him.
And now, Wednesday night, she was going with Billy.